Pronounced Pie-kaPikas don't hibernate, they are awake all winter. They work all summer to store enough food for the winter.Pikas can't live below 9,000 ft. and they can't survive temperatures higher than 75 degrees.The males are extremely territorial with each other, and fight regularly over who controls which areas.They are commonly seen in large boulder piles.They leave larg

The plant was given its English name by the 17th century herbalist Thomas Johnson in a celebrated case of mistaken identity. In fact, what Johnson found and described in 1633 was probably maiden pink Dianthus deltoides. As the first name given to a plant is generally the one botanists stick to, the East End of London is 'famous' for a species that has not grown there in historical times, and possi

The purple portion of the root from the white yarrow plant is a natural numbing agent when crushed. Native Americans would often chew this portion of the plant if they had painful open sores in their mouth.

In Roman times it was called herba militaris and much valued for treating wounds.

Medicinal Uses: Yarrow is a very valuable medicinal herb, with much scientific evidence of use in

Medicinal Uses: Basil has been occasionally used for mild nervous disorders and for the alleviation of wandering rheumatic pains- the dried leaves, in the form of snuff, are said to be a cure for nervous headaches.

An infusion of the green herb in boiling water is good for all obstructions of the internal organs, arrests vomiting, and allays nausea.

The plant was given its English name by the 17th century herbalist Thomas Johnson in a celebrated case of mistaken identity. In fact, what Johnson found and described in 1633 was probably maiden pink Dianthus deltoides. As the first name given to a plant is generally the one botanists stick to, the East End of London is 'famous' for a species that has not grown there in historical times, and possi

Food Uses: Its leaves, flowers, and roots are edible, but beware that consumption of its leaves in large quantities is detrimental as they contain oxalic acid.

Leaves - raw or cooked. A pleasant acid flavor. Use in moderation, see notes at top of sheet, Flowers - raw. A pleasant and decorative addition to the salad bowl. Most children really adore eating the flowers raw. Root - raw or cooke

Cultivation: Aloe striata is a popular and most rewarding garden plant. It is relatively easy to cultivate under a wide variety of climatic conditions provided it is planted in a well-drained situation in full sun and given adequate water but not over-watered. It can withstand extreme frost and prolonged drought. This species is not only very showy when in flower but also during the rest of the ye

Disease fungi (Fusarium oxysporum) enter through the roots and interfere with the water conducting vessels of the plant. As the infection spreads up into the stems and leaves it restricts water flow, causing the foliage to wilt and turn yellow. Symptoms often appear later in the growing season and are first noticed on the lower (older) leaves. As the disease progresses, the younger leaves will als

Tubers, rhizomes, corms, and bulbs actually all serve the same purpose, just differently. They are each a storage unit for nutrients that give the plant the energy it needs to grow, bloom, and complete its lifecycle. The energy is created and stored by the photosynthesis of the leaves. It's important not to cut back the foliage after the bloom has died, because the leaves need to have time to abso

Medicinal Uses: The leaves, roots and flowers are antimalarial, antitussive and diuretic. They are said to be a more potent antimalarial than quinine, due to the presence of an alkaloidDiuretic, cathartic, tonic. The decoction is said to have been used with great advantage by the Cherokee Indians, and later, by the settlers, for calculous diseases. It does not cure stone in the bladder, but, a

Cultivation: Cryptanthus bivittatus grows easily with minimum care. Given the right conditions, it will reward you handsomely with its stunning variegated foliage in fabulous colors. Bright light indoors or full sun outdoors for best foliage color. However, extreme sunlight that causes bleaching or sunburn should be avoided and a filtered sunny location is much preferred. It tolerates low to mediu

This Green Carpet is deservedly one of the most widely used ground covers. It is handsome and foolproof, thriving even in the dense shade of evergreens! Try it along shady walks, in enclosed courtyards, and on steep terraces in either partial sun or shade.

Food Uses: Fruit - raw or cooked. Sweet and juicy. The fruit is not usually produced in cultivation - this could be because both male an

Mandevilla (Mandevilla splendens) - Part shade, evenly moist soil; up to 10 feet; twines; clusters of pink, trumpet-shaped flowers; glossy leaves; overwinter inside by cutting back stems and watering only enough to prevent drying out. A tropical vine with delicate flowers are held in upright clusters and enhanced by large, deep green, glossy leaves. Blooms continually appear over long season in su

a tropical plant which resembles ginger in growth and habit, but is actually a relative of the wandering Jew plant. The plant is native to the tropical woodlands of North, Central and South America, specially in Atlantic Forest vegetation in Brazil. Of the family Commelinaceae, they are cultivated for their handsome spotted stems, large shiny foliage which is held horizontally, surmounted by strik

Cultivation: Pink evening primrose will grow nicely in poor soil. Plants are late to emerge in the spring, so their locations should be marked. They may not be just where you planted them though! Evening primroses tend to be surreptitiously invasive. They send their roots far and wide during the winter when no top growth is visible, then pop up everywhere in the spring.

It was cultivated as early as 1735 as a honey plant.A decoction of the inner bark was used by Native Americans as an emetic. The bark was also used as a substitute for quinine. The Choctaw and Seminole peoples used decoctions of buttonbush bark for treating several internal maladies including diarrhea and stomach aches.Medicinal Uses: Buttonbush was often employed medicinally by native Nor

The plant was first identified as a remedy by native Indians in Canada during a 16th century expedition and was found to prove effective in the treatment of weakness from scurvy. ). In folk medicine, Thuja occ has been used to treat bronchial catarrh, enuresis, cystitis, psoriasis, uterine carcinomas, amenorrhea and rheumatism.

Leaf miner is a term used to describe the larvae of many different species of insect which live in and eat the leaf tissue of plants. The vast majority of leaf-mining insects are moths (Lepidoptera), sawflies (Symphyta) and flies (Diptera), though some beetles and wasps also exhibit this behavior.

The precise pattern formed by the feeding tunnel is very often diagnostic for which kind of in

Native Indian tribes in North America had several uses for common monkeyflower (a close cousin to this type of Monkeyflower). A decoction of the stems and leaves was used as a steam bath for soreness in the chest or back. Sacagawea’s Shoshone tribe used a poultice of crushed leaves for rope burns or wounds. Other tribes used the plant in tea form for stomachache. Indians and early white settlers a

This easily grown vine has been cultivated in North America since Colonial times.

The root is diaphoretic and vulnerary

The tubular flowers and large quantities of nectar produced by trumpet creeper are attractants for hummingbirds and butterflies. The vines also provide habitat to ants. The flowers are very attractive to hummingbirds, and many types of birds like to nest in the dens

Raised beds can add a whole new exciting dimension to your gardening experience. Raised beds are especially useful for gardeners with limited space in their yards.

Even if you have virtually no space to grow plants, you can consider setting up a small raised bed on your patio or porch to grow a collection of tasty herbs and veggies or perhaps a variety of beautiful ornamental plants.

Our space program has led the way to a fascinating and important discovery about the role of houseplants indoors. NASA has been researching methods of cleansing the atmosphere in future space stations to keep them fit for human habitation over extended periods of time. They've found that many common houseplants and blooming potted plants help fight pollution indoors. They're reportedly able to scr

Weigela species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Brown-tail. Attracts Hummingbirds with the trumpet shaped flowers. In addition to attracting hummingbirds, weigela shrubs are effective for attracting butterflies.An easily grown plant, succeeding in most fertile soils. Prefers a moist well-drained soil in sun or partial shade. Tolerates atmospheric pol

Most herb flowers are just as tasty as the foliage and very attractive when used in your salads. Add some petals to any dish you were already going to flavor with the herb.Alliums (leeks, chives, garlic, garlic chives) - Known as the "Flowering Onions." There are approximately four hundred species that includes the familiar onion, garlic, chives, ramps, and shallots. All members of t

Episcia is a genus of about 8 species belonging to the flowering plant family Gesneriaceae. The species are found in the tropical regions of Central America and South America (frequently cultivated elsewhere and sometimes naturalizing in tropical regions). The species are perennial herbaceous plants characterized by a stoloniferous habit, red (rarely orange, pink, blue or yellow) flowers, and freq

The bark of chokecherry root was once made into an asperous-tasting concoction used to ward off or treat colds, fever and stomach maladies by native Americans[7] The chokecherry fruit can be used to make a tasty jam, jelly, or syrup, but the bitter nature of the fruit means you need a lot of sugar to sweeten the preserve

Red Baneberries are found growing in shady areas with moist to wet soils, open forest or dry slopes. Plants are slow growing and take a few years to grow large enough to flower. The foliage is rarely consumed by grazing animals. The poisonous berries are harmless to birds.

Plants are sometimes grown in shade gardens for their attractive berries and their upright clump forming habit.

The plant grows to 2 m (6½ ft) tall, with large, strong leaves 25-70 cm (10-28 in) long and 10-30 cm (4-12 in) broad, produced on petioles up to 1 m (about 40 in) long. The leaves are evergreen and arranged in two ranks, making a fan-shaped crown. The flowers stand above the foliage at the tips of long stalks. The hard, beak-like sheath from which the flower emerges is termed the spathe. Th

Guzmania lingulata or Scarlet Star is a species of flowering plant in the bromeliad family, subfamily Tillandsioideae. Foliage grows in a star-shaped basal rosette which culminates in an orange and red bracted inflorescence. They are among the most commonly cultivated bromeliad types.

Solanum dulcamara is poisonous to humans and livestock but edible for birds, which disperse the seeds widely. As with most Solanum species, the foliage is also poisonous to humans. Bittersweet is considered by some to be a herbal remedy for treating herpes and allergies.

The American lotus (Nelumbo lutea) is generally described as a Perennial Forb or herb. This Dicot (dicotyledon) is native to the U.S. (United States) and has its most active growth period in the Summer . The American Lotus has Green foliage and conspicuous Yellow flowers, with conspicuous Brown fruits or seeds. The greatest bloom is usually observed in the Mid Summer, with fruit and seed productio

What they do have in common are rather thick evergreen alternate leaves, tiny inconspicuous star-shaped yellow flowers that hang down in long racemes, and a milky sap that bleeds from cut stems. Depending on the cultivar, the leaves may be ovate to linear, entire to deeply lobed, and variegated with green, white, purple, orange, yellow, red or pink. The colors may follow the veins, the margins or

In tropical climates, crotons make attractive hedges and potted patio specimens, valued for their striking foliage. They only survive outdoors where temperatures do not normally drop below 10° to 13° C in winter; colder temperatures can cause leaf loss. In colder climates, the plants are grown in greenhouses or as house plants. The cultivated garden crotons are usually smaller than the wil

This species of Cosmos is considered a half-hardy annual, although plants may re-appear via self-sowing for several years. Its foliage is opposite and pinnately divided. The plant height varies from one to seven feet. The original and its cultivars appear in shades of yellow, orange, and red. It is especially popular in Korea and Japan,

Hostas are extremely popular, hardy herbaceous perennials grown primarily for their beautiful foliage. They are easy to grow, shade-tolerant plants. Leaves come in a wide range of shapes, colors, sizes, and textures and may be solid in color or variegated in different combinations of blue, green, white, and gold. The plants are low maintenance and are widely available in nurseries and garden cente

Family: Lamiaceae (lay-mee-AY-see-ee) Genus: Perilla (per-IL-uh) Species: frutescens (froo-TESS-enz) Perilla, or Shiso, is a genus of annual herb that is a member of the mint family, Lamiaceae. In mild climates the plant reseeds itself. The most common species is Perilla frutescens var. japonica or shiso which is mainly grown in India and East Asi

Seeds may be sown at the end of April and the seedlings thinned to be 4 inches apart. The seed should not be deeply covered. The plants are of a creeping habit, the leaves being moss like and almost hidden by the flowers. The seeds, which resemble iron filings, have a metallic lustre and are produced in a small, boxlike capsule; when ripe the lid falls off and reveals them.

'All Blue' has skin and flesh of deep purple. Tuber set and yields are generally heavy, unlike some other purple varieties. Potatoes are perennials grown as annuals. They are related to eggplant, tomatoes and peppers. Potatoes need a frost free growing season of 90 to 120 days. They are a cool weather crop and grow best in areas with a cool summer. Ideal potato growing temperature is between 60 an

Foeniculum is a genus of fewer than half a dozen species, in the family Apiaceae (Umbelliferae).

It is best known for Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), treated by some botanists as the sole species in the genus. The name of the genus is derived from Latin feniculum, fśniculum, diminutive of fenum, fśnum, "hay".

Asclepias : From Askelpios, a physician in ancient Greece, or the god of medicine, who professed that he could bring the dead back to life. Askelpios brought Orion back from the dead. Askelpios is also a constellation, the Serpent Holder. From each anther, pollen grains are produced in small sacs, called pollinium, that are united in pairs and resemble a set

A tulip is a perennial plant in the genus Tulipa, comprising about 150 bulbous species with showy flowers, in the family Liliaceae.The species are perennials from bulbs, the tunicate bulbs often produced on the ends of stolons and covered with hairless to variously hairy papery coverings. The species include short low-growing plants to tall upright plants, growing from 10 to 70 centimeters (4–

Amaranth has been used as a food source for thousands of years, the Aztecs used Amaranth in rituals and celebration long before Columbus. In Peru some still make beer out of Amaranth. Amaranth is not a mainstream food in the United States, and many forms of it are considered plant pests. Each plant can create up to as many as half a million little seeds.

The Kale Red Winter, 'Brassica oleraceae (Acephla)', is a rare strain of Kale that has very tender, sweet leaves compared to other kales. Most Kale gets sweeter as the first frost hits. Red Winter, an improved Red Russian Kale, is sweet all the time and it is also very tender. Red Winter is excellent for your mesclun salad mixes, tasty garnishes, and lightly cooked dishes. The red-vei

Tulipa, commonly called tulip, is a genus of about 150 species of bulbous flowering plants in the family Liliaceae. The native range of the species includes southern Europe, north Africa, and Asia from Anatolia and Iran in the west to northeast of China. The centre of diversity of the genus is in the Pamir and Hindu Kush mountains and the steppes of Kazakhstan. A number of species and many hybrid

Several of our favorite holiday plants should be kept from children and pets, yet often they pose no serious danger in small amounts. There are many other and more toxic substances to children in homes to be mindful of, especially cosmetics and personal care pro

Bedding plants are the answer to a gardener's prayer for instant color and faster growth in a summer flower garden. With our short growing season, why wait for seeds to sprout and plants to grow when you can achieve the same end result--and a lot quicker--with bedding plants? "Bedding plant&q

Rhizoctonia solani (teleomorph: Thanatephorus cucumeris) is a plant pathogenic fungus with a wide host range and worldwide distribution. It is one cause of the condition known as damping off, which is a cause of death of seedlings in agriculture. It is also responsible for wire stem, a disease of cabbage, cauliflower and related plants that is similar to damping-off but attacks older seedlin

Family: Fabaceae (Leguminosae) - Pea or Legume Native to Bolivia. Grows fast to 10 feet or more with equal spread. Its beauty has carried it into harsher areas than zones 22 - 24*; in zones 13 and 16 - 21 it requires special protection of over hang or warm sunny wall. In form, it's a natural espalier. Foliage not as feathery as that of C. tweedii **; leaflets longer, broader, and darker --

One of the best jasmines for the Deep South, especially on sandy soils. This is one of the most valuable plants in landscaping. It grows wonderfully in mass plantings, very fast growing but not invasive and well-contollable by pruning. The more you cut it, the bushier it gets, forming a nice dense cloud of dark green foliage with yellow double flowers scattered like a bright cover. It is rambling,

It's good to have giant shade trees, these provide many benefits for areas that have problems with water conservation. Shade Trees attract water to the area, the more closed in with foliage the roots are the easier it is for the ground to maintain moisture.

Trees naturally lower the air temperature by the process of evaporation from the leaves, lowering the temperature of the leaf, then